AUGUSTA, GA – After taking part in 72 holes over 4 consecutive days on one of many world’s most demanding golf programs, Tiger Woods was requested if he was in an excessive amount of ache Sunday after ending his Masters.
“Oh,” Woods replied.
Woods’ return to skilled golf for back-to-back rounds 6 by means of 78, the worst of his profession right here, or his almost unrecognizable place on the greens at Augusta Nationwide Golf Course, is not going to be remembered.
Final week he shall be remembered for the grit and willpower he confirmed as he toured the place the place he had beforehand gained 5 occasions. Refused to give up. Regardless of scoring his worst lead to 24 Masters video games as knowledgeable, he accomplished and completed the match lower than 14 months after dropping his proper leg in a automobile wreck outdoors Los Angeles.
“Enjoying with my son hitting and laughing is one factor, however taking part in in a significant match is one other,” Woods stated. “It was a troublesome highway, and I’m so grateful for the chance to recover from it. Numerous various things may have occurred, however 14 months [later]I’m able to play within the Masters Event.”
What did we study Woods final week at Augusta Nationwide? After which what? Listed below are the solutions to these questions:
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When will we see the tiger once more?
Woods stated his days of taking part in a full schedule are over and he’ll solely seem on the large occasions. At this level, my finest guess – and fairly hypothesis – is that Tiger is wanting ahead to the remaining three main tournaments and probably the Hero World Problem within the Bahamas, an occasion that advantages his basis, in late November.
After his Sunday tour, Woods informed Sky Sports activities he plans to play at The Open in St Andrews in July. He is not but positive if he’ll play the PGA Championship on the Southern Hills in Might or the US Open at The Nation Membership in Brooklyn, Massachusetts, in June.
“It is simply going to be the foremost occasions,” Woods stated. “I do not know if it will likely be south of the hills or not. However I’m wanting ahead to St. Andrews. That is one thing close to and expensive to my coronary heart. I gained two holes there, it is residence of golf, it is my favourite golf course on the earth, so I will be there for it.”
“However no matter falls in between, I do not know. I will positively attempt. Like this week, I will attempt to put together for Southern Hills and we’ll see what this physique can do.”
The PGA Championship begins on Might 19. Woods gained the 2007 PGA Championship held in Southern Hills; This was his second consecutive win on the occasion and the final time he gained.
The US Open will happen at The Nation Membership outdoors Boston, beginning June 16. The Nation Membership final hosted the US Open in 1988, earlier than Woods turned skilled, however he performed there within the 1999 Ryder Cup. He was a part of the US workforce’s memorable comeback from Sunday’s 10-6 deficit with a 14-13 win. Of the remaining majors, the US Open is more likely to be the hardest.
Lastly, The Open will have a good time its a hundred and fiftieth anniversary on the Previous Stadium in St Andrews in Scotland, beginning July 14. Two of Woods’ three wins at The Open have are available in St Andrews in 2000 and 2005. After all, he is largely flat, and he’d be the best to stroll.
Subsequent 12 months, Woods will seemingly play on the Genesis Invitational in Riviera, which he hosts. The match additionally advantages his basis.
What did we be taught concerning the tiger’s physique?
Again in mid-February, when reporters for the Genesis Invitational have been filling Woods with questions on how rapidly he’d come again from leg, ankle and foot accidents, he reminded them he is additionally again from one other again process.
Woods’ lameness was extra evident on the weekend, and taking part in 72 holes clearly affected him. He described his restoration remedy as a number of ice baths and “frozen himself to dying”.
Woods revealed this week that he would not have as a lot mobility in his ankle as he used to, and that he won’t ever get it again due to the rods, plates, screws and screws surgeons used to place it again collectively. He is been pressured to make adjustments to his swing to make up for it, which can put extra stress on his again.
“The ankle will not transfer,” Woods stated. “I’ve received rods and boards and nails and screws and a bunch of various issues in there. It is by no means going to maneuver prefer it used to. A very powerful factor is that the ankle is at all times going to be a problem, however extra importantly, for those who play ballistic golf, you are going to be within the again. It is compact. So It’s the greater and decrease ranges that may take the brunt of it.”
About two months earlier than his automobile crash, on December 23, 2020, Woods had a process to alleviate nerve ache in his decrease again. He had spinal fusion surgical procedure, a extra invasive process, in April 2017.
“I am nonetheless producing sufficient velocity,” Woods stated. “My ball velocity is 175 [mph]-ish once I hit him nicely, so he places the reduce on the again. I’ve already had points getting again into this, and now this type of will increase it a bit bit.”
Woods stated his proper leg will proceed to get better as he continues to get better, however that his mobility is not going to enhance.
“I can stroll on that golf course,” Woods stated. “I can placed on tennis footwear and go for a stroll. That is not an issue, however going volleyed in pictures and hitting shot types of uneven lies, this units an entire new problem.”
What did we be taught concerning the tiger recreation?
In February, Woods stated he wasn’t in a position to do a lot in golf apart from chopping and placing with some brief irons. He stated he did not do a lot with the lengthy iron, his driver, and the Fairway woods as a result of he was nonetheless gaining power in his leg and did not wish to put an excessive amount of stress on it.
Surprisingly, Woods drove nicely and averaged 284.9 yards over 4 innings. It reached 67.9% of the fairways. Maybe the strongest a part of his recreation this week. His iron play was good. He solely hit 54.2% of the greens.
However, Woods’ posture and chops have been nicely beneath his requirements. Within the third spherical, he wanted 36 hits, which is his most on a tour right here as a result of he additionally had 36 within the third spherical in 1999. Based on the PGA Tour, it was the primary time in Woods’ profession that he had a five-hole hit by three or extra throws within the spherical. On Sunday, he wanted 34 strokes.
One may assume that a part of his poor efficiency on Saturday could possibly be attributed to the chilly climate. Possibly it had one thing to do along with his lack of power and focus as nicely.
“Simply to have the ability to play, not simply to play, however I made a superb first spherical,” Woods stated. “I received there. I haven’t got the stamina I’d have preferred, however a couple of weeks in the past, I did not even know if I might be within the occasion.
“To go from that to right here, we’re enthusiastic about his future prospects, coaching, stepping into the health club and doing a couple of different issues to strengthen my legs, which we couldn’t do as a result of he wanted extra time to heal. I feel he wants two extra days to heal after that. However we’ll come again after that, and we’ll get into it.”
Did Woods simply elevate $10 million?
As some gamers have urged prior to now, the PGA Tour could wish to go forward and award the primary prize out of the $50 million Participant Affect Program reward pool to Woods for the following 5 years or so. He did not even play within the PGA Tour occasion in 2023 and gained probably the most cash. He earned $8 million for it in 2023. He earned first place $10 million in 2023.
It is solely April, however anybody else would have had a tough time catching up as soon as Woods confirmed up on the Augusta Nationwide over per week in the past with Justin Thomas and his son Charlie, to play a apply run. Woods tweet That he was coming to Augusta per week in the past to proceed coaching for the Masters was most likely the icing on the cake.
The Augusta Nationwide sponsors, who weren’t positive they’d ever see them on the Masters once more, have been actually pleased to see him this week.
“I had the identical questions, so it was an unbelievable feeling,” Woods stated. “Simply to get sponsors and help there. I did not do my finest there, however simply to get help and appreciation from all of the followers.”
